I have a package due this week for my main corporate client, Regence BlueCross BlueSheild. Each package contains a five minute Cooking with Tse video, a food-related article, and two additional recipes. Since the recipe in the video is a creamy carrot cumin soup, I’m working on two additional soups to round out the package.

When developing recipes, I usually start with a brainstorming session with Geoffroy. While we toss around ideas of potato leek soup, corn chowder, and fish soup, we settle on split pea and French onion. Now the French onion is a no brainer – just a few simple ingredients and an hour or two later, we’re breaking through the crisp, cheese-covered crouton into deeply satisfying onion soup. I did try to add thyme to the onions, Geoffroy pointed out that thyme is not part of the classic recipe.

But when it comes to split pea, we definitely disagree. The other day I spotted smoked ham hocks at New Seasons, and that’s where I got my soup inspiration. So I proceeded on my green split pea soup simmered with carrots, onions, celery, ham hocks and vegetable broth while he chose yellow split peas, the same vegetables, pancetta, white wine, chicken stock, and a splash of cream.

We squared off at separate sides of the counter and began chopping. While our techniques were similar, after cooking he chose to whirl his soup in a blender while I used a stick blender.

Sitting down to the table, we eyed each bowl with considerable appreciation. Geoffroy’s cream, silky soup was a lovely yellow color with a richer, more complex flavor. My soup was a courser in texture, studded with little bits of smoked ham hock. We sat and we tasted. And then we tasted some more. Each one was unique and had its bright points. It was a tie.

With bowls scraped clean and tummies full, we sit back in our chairs contented. The windows are still foggy and the lingering aromas of sautéed onions cling to the air. We’ll be eating soup for days!

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